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Vet’s corner

My three-year-old British shorthair cat has recently broken her upper fang
tooth: the “point” is missing, although a good part of the upper bit is
still there. Do I need to take her to the vet to get it examined/treated?
She doesn’t appear to be in any pain or discomfort, and is acting normally.Fiona Anderson, by email

Broken or fractured canine or fang teeth are quite common in cats, mostly
caused by bashing their face on the ground after a miscalculated jump down
from a height. Cat’s teeth, just like human teeth, have a hollow canal up
the centre that contains the blood vessels and nerves. A fracture through
this canal can be painful, and infection can lead to a tooth root abscess,
but luckily, in many cases, the tooth canal seals itself and no action is
required.